The deputy head of the the Democratic National Committee on Monday decried the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold a portion of President Trump’s travel ban because he believes it unfairly singles out Muslim-majority countries.
“There’s no doubt that these countries were picked because they’re Muslim-majority countries,” Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., told MSNBC. “And it is interesting when Trump goes to places like Saudi Arabia, he seems to not want to ban everybody. If they have a hotel, or if they’re rich or something, he seems to be OK with those Muslims.”
Ellison, who is the first Muslim ever elected to the House of Representatives, argued Trump’s past actions prove he harbors a hostility toward Muslims.
“First of all, he says that he wants a Muslim ban. Then he says that Muslims were celebrating 9/11, which is completely untrue. Then he says he thinks Islam hates America. He has built a body of information indicating his hostility,” Ellison said.
The Minnesota Democrat also expressed fear over the emergence of Justice Neil Gorsuch as a powerful conservative voice on the court, calling the way he was elevated to the Supreme Court “a model for lawlessness.”
“It is part of the fear that I have that the basic adherence to respect of the press, respect of judicial Independence, basic civility – we’re losing that in this era of Trump,” Ellison said.
